3 ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

 A famous communication study was done by Professor Albert Mehrabian of UCLA on the relationship of the three elements that are communicated every time we speak. Mehrabian measured the difference between the believability of the verbal, vocal, and visual elements of our messages.

The verbal is the message itself—the words you say. The vocal element is your voice—th...e intonation, projection, and resonance of the voice that carries those words. The visual element is what people see—your facial expression and your body language.

Mehrabian’s research determined that the degree of consistency between these three elements was the factor that determines believability. Here are the percentages he found to be the average:

Visual - 55%
Vocal - 38%
Verbal - 7%

Since visual elements of communication are so important, we will concentrate on them during the month of July!

Making Time for the Unexpected...

Have you made time for the unexpected? Chances are something is going to come up this week that you didn't anticipate. While this is a common occurrence, it doesn't have to wreak havoc on your schedule. Research shows that highly effective people have learned how to expect the unexpected and make it a habit to:

•Leave open time each day on the calendar to handle unforeseen matters
•Do the most important things first before something else comes up
•Re-prioritize twice a day to adjust for changing demands

Planning for the unexpected is a great way to stay on schedule and reduce everyday stress.

The Benefits of Effective Communication

One of the job skills that employers desire most is effective communication. When people communicate effectively, they are able to build productive working relationships, solve problems, supervise others, and create trust in the workplace.

The Cost of Poor Communication - Communication gaps are caused by the failure to convey and/or understand the information, intent, or meaning of another, especially between individuals with different perceptions.

Barriers to Effective Communication
•Attitude of sender or receiver
•Emotional climate
•Hidden agendas
•Body language
•Semantics
•Interruptions
•Hot buttons

If you have the desire to become an effective communicator, you’ll be willing to do what it takes to make it happen. The real challenge in communicating is accurately sending images to others as well as accurately receiving images from them - to convey things exactly as you see them and to receive them exactly as others see them. Make effective communication a way of life.  Mastering connecting, conveying, and checking responses comes only with practice. Growth takes time.  You need to be patient with yourself while you incorporate and develop your new skills.